Smile
by tiffo the chicken flea
Summary: It has been over a decade since John had seen anyone from SPR. So he was more than surprised when he found himself invited over for dinner by Naru himself. But how could he resist the opportunity to catch up?


John gave another tug at the collar off his Cassock as he stepped off the train. The day had turned out warmer than he had expected and now he regretted not changing out of his formal attire after he had left his meeting with the bishop.

He had been worried about the London traffic and even more afraid that he would get lost on the unfamiliar streets once he reached Cambridge. But of course he had little trouble making his way here. This should have been a relief, but instead left him overheated and an hour earlier than they expected him.

It had been more than a decade since John had been called back to his work in Australia. And while he loved the children and the difference he was making, he would be remiss were he to say he didn't miss things and people in Japan.

He hadn't kept up the way he had planned to. They had kept moving him between parishes when he first arrived back in Australia and he just lost track of so many things.

Last he had seen them, Naru and Mai had just begun to plan for their wedding. He hadn't been able to make it back to Japan for the actual event a few months later, but John had sent a card expressing his disappointment at being unable to attend and his happiness for them. Of course, Mai had sent him a very sweet response that included a detailed telling of the event and a copy of their wedding picture. Once framed, the image joined his copy of the SPR group photo on the dresser top.

The houses were starting to spread apart as he walked, wider gardens marking more affluent homes. John looked down at his slightly wilted daffodils dubiously. The sound of children laughing bubbled briefly over the bird song.

He had a vague memory of hearing that they were expecting a baby at some point. And while it had seemed unlikely, he was almost certain he had at least looked into buying them a baby card. Though there was no telling if he had ever sent it at this point.

It was an utter surprise when he received an email from Naru about a month ago. Naru explained had he had discovered John on the list of attendees for one of SPR's upcoming seminars. He added, that they were also in England for the summer and if he had any free time to to visit them at the family estate that Mai would be overjoyed if he could stop by for dinner.

John readily agreed and the plans were set. But somehow it had slipped his mind to actually ask about Naru and Mai's lives in all this time. He supposed it gave them more to catch up on over dinner.

He checked the street sign one more time as he walked past another intersection. He could see it now. A brick wall with the number he had been searching for. A brief moment of doubt stopped him as he approached. Perhaps he should wait; they weren't expecting him yet.

"Who are those flowers for?"

John looked at the boy who was hanging from the gate in front of him. His well-cut clothes were dirty and his dark hair was a mess. He had bandages on both of his knees as well as a smaller one on his left cheek.

"G'day, son."

"Hi," the boy replied. "Can I have your flowers?"

"Oh, I'm afraid these are for someone."

The boy chose this moment to jump from the gate. His feet slid on the gravel of the path as he landed and he fell to his back with a slight "oof."

"Are you ok?"John asked, rushing past the gate.

"Yes!" The boy jumped up with a smile.

John smiled back, pulling a leaf from the boy's tousled hair.

"Since I can't have the flowers, can I have your holy water?"

"Excuse me?"

"You're an exorcist, right? So you have holy water."

"What's your name?" John asked.

"Idiot." A new small voice said.

"Oh no, a demon!" The boy cried, pointing a finger.

John looked to his right to see a girl seated in the shade of a tree nearby. She looked to be around the same age of the boy. Eight, or perhaps nine. Long brown hair in braided pigtails and a breezy summer frock completed the less than intimidating picture. Her blue eyes narrowed briefly before returning to the book in her hand.

The boy pulled on John's robes.

"Do you have it? Quick. Before she strikes!"

John felt the wind pick up for a second before a small yelp emanated from the young man next to him.

"No fair, mom said no powers. I'm telling."

"Don't be such a baby _Jeanie_ ," She drawled, pulling out the short o and y sounds with a mocking pout.

"I'm not a baby, _Lulu_." he countered.

"You're younger than me."

"Only by twenty minutes."

"Ignore her, Jean," a third voice added.

"Excuse me?" John asked looking around.

His eyes fell on a second boy, standing on a tree branch above Lulu. His face was identical to the Jean's but he lacked the disarray that seemed a fundamental feature of the other. His shorts and shirt were in excellent condition and John would have sworn that his blaser looked pressed.

"She's just mad because Father wouldn't let her sit in on the dissection yesterday," the boy in the tree said. He twirled a feather in his fingers before carefully placing it into his satchel bag.

"Ridiculous," Lulu muttered.

"I'm still telling," Jean grumbled, releasing John's robe and taking off across the lawn.

He made it a few steps before he tripped over a rock and sprawled face first into the grass.

Jean rose, one of his bandages now dangling from his knee, his brown eyes glassy with unshed tears.

"You did that on purpose!" He yelled

Lulu very maturely stuck her tongue out at Jean.

Suddenly, Lulu's book was ripped from her hands. It flew into the air and slammed into another tree across the path.

"I'm telling!" She yelled back, the book picking itself up from the ground and zipping back into her waiting fingers.

"Not before I do!" Jean replied and the two of them took off towards the house.

John blinked. What interesting, children.

A shiver ran up John's arm despite the heat of the day. Looking down, he found the remaining boy had vacated his place in the tree. His brown eyes seemed glazed, the pupils large as he looked up at John, clutching cold, small fingers around John's own. John found himself thinking back on his time in Japan.

The boy blinked, his eyes focusing as a smile broke his face.

"Hello, Father Brown. I'm Kou, I can take you to the house. Mother is in the study."

"How did you know my name?" John asked.

Kou's smile widened and his hand tightened around John's fingers. Kou began leading John to the house.

"Are you—" John began to ask.

"Yes."

"Nar— Oliver and Mai's son?"

"Still yes, Jean and Lulu too. Oh, and it's Jean, not John."

How had Kou known that he had been confused by the name?

"It's French." Kou added with a smile.

"Oh," John said. He wondered just how many unique children Mai and Naru had hidden on the property.

"Just the three of us," Kou explained.

John jumped, had he spoken aloud?

"No, but I heard you." Kou tapped the side of his head. "Oh, here comes Mother."

John saw the front door open, an older, but clearly recognizable Mai stepping out from the house.

"I don't want to know who started it. I am finishing it. Now both of you apologize to each other while I look for your brother. You know he has a habit of wandering."

Kou stopped suddenly, the contentment that had been constant dimming in his eyes.

"You won't tell Mother I read you, will you?"

It was John's turn to smile down at the boy.

"Of course not."

"Kou!" Mai called scanning the yard. "Oh hello, John? John!" Mai let out a small screech of excitement as she rushed towards him.

"Hello, Mai," John said, returning her crushing hug more gently.

"Is it that late already? I guess the day is just getting away from me!"

"No, I'm afraid I am rather early. I hope you don't—."

"Of course I don't mind!" She let him go and sent him a smile he hadn't realized he had missed. "Oh, and you brought flowers."

John held up the now crushed and wilted flowers.

"Sorry, they've had a bit of a day, it seems," he said.

"Haven't we all," Mai joked, taking the flowers. "I think they look beautiful. Narcissus are my favorite."

Three of the white-yellow heads drooped over the stems, a small scattering of petals falling to the ground. Kou bent down and studied them for a moment before selecting two of the petals and placing them in his satchel.

"I see you already met Kou. Why don't you come inside, I'll make some tea," Mai said, leading him into the house. "Kou, do me a favor and go get your father."

Kou nodded and ran off.

"It's so good to see you John, it's been too long," Mai continued as they made their way through the house and into the kitchen. "Do you want a drink? I am afraid we're not done with dinner yet. Jean, do not get out of that chair. You are in time out."

John saw Jean slink back down into his chair at the table.

"But Dad let Lulu leave," he complained.

Mai's face scrunched and she pushed the drawer she had just retrieved the shears from back with enough force to have it bounce before it slid closed.

"I hope you are okay with pesto stuffed shells," Mai continued, pulling out a vase and setting to work on the stems in her hand. "Naru's made a vegan and a dairy batch, you are welcome to either."

"I am fine with whatever you have. Really, it sounds lovely."

"There," Mai said, admiring the salvaged arrangement.

Kou came back, enthusiastically pulling Naru behind him.

"Mai, what? The shells are in the oven. Oh, John. You made it."

"Yes, thank you so much for inviting me," John replied, offering his hand.

"You told Lulu she could get up?" Mai asked.

John felt Oliver's hand twitch against his own palm.

"She was in timeout, Naru."

"I didn't know that," he countered.

"Actually, a glass of water would be lovely, Mai," John said with a smile.

Dinner got off to an awkward start as Lulu refused to put her book down at the table when Mai asked, and confiscating the object left her surly and unwilling to eat. This in turn spread to Jean who claimed to not like the meal with nary a bite taken. Kou meanwhile chewed contentedly, ignoring the rest of the table's commotion.

Mai apologized for the chaos, but John assured her that he was no stranger to eating at tables full of children, so the Davis triplets we no trouble to him.

After dinner, Martin and Luella took the children out to get Italian ice while the adults caught up in the study.

They reminisced, Naru and Mai filling John in on the lives of their friends in Japan while John provided a summary of his time in Australia. It was nice, filling in a picture that he had feared would remain undone. But eventually John had to bring them around to the subject he most wanted to hear about.

"So," John began, "Triplets. What a blessing."

"Well, we knew the chance for multiples was higher with the IVF. But yes, we were still taken a bit by surprise," Mai replied.

"I think it's wonderful. I always knew you would make an excellent mother, Mai."

Mai colored.

"Well it wasn't a solo effort. Naru is far better with them than I am most times."

"Mai, don't say—"

"It's true, you're the one who walks them to school every morning and packs their lunches."

"That's only because you can't get up early enough to be of much use in the morning."

"And you have never missed a presentation or visitation day."

"Participation is part of the job, Mai."

"Don't listen to him John, he really does do almost everything better. The only thing he can't do is discipline."

Naru sat up ready to argue.

"Naru, you let them all skip school to come on a case with you just last month. Yes, I knew. Did you think the school wouldn't call me?"

"They already knew all the things that school was going to teach them anyway. It was pointless for them to go," Naru deflected.

"That is not the point." Mai gestured to her husband. "You see what I mean John, they have him jumping through hoops. Oh, and you should have seen them when they were little. Lulu always, _always_ , had to be held. Jean was fine on his own unless he saw Lulu being held, then he needed 'uppees'. Thank god Kou was content with his mobile. Naru had no arms left."

John enjoyed hearing about their family and the hijinks that ensued with three, small, psychically charged children running about. Even more though, he enjoyed watching Mai and Naru as they told the stories. Their eyes shone, smiles permanent fixtures on their faces, and more than once Naru took hold of Mai's hand as she finished a story.

"He won't go anywhere without it," Mai told him. "And he always keeps hand sanitizer, a stain pen, and some bandages in there for his brother. He collects everything in that satchel."

"Yes, I saw him with a feather earlier today," John replied. "Oh and the petals, of course. What is he collecting it for?"

"Inspiration. That's what says he collects. Then he sets everything he collected for the day out on the dresser before he goes to bed."

Muted conversation brought their attention to the front door. The triplets pushed past their grandparents to enter the house first, a chorus of hellos ringing out.

"Welcome back," Mai said as Jean and Kou barreled into her, pushing her into the cushion of the couch. Lulu opted for a pat on the head from her father.

"Mama, bet you can't guess what flavor I had," Jean told her, his lips stained nearly as red as his shirt.

"Pineapple?" Mai asked.

"No," Jean giggled. "Daddy, your turn."

"Cherry," Naru replied.

Jean beamed.

"What flavor did you have, Kou?" Mai asked.

"Tangerine, and Lulu had lemon."

"Because Lulu is a sour puss," Jean said.

"Am not!" Lulu grumbled. "I just don't like really sweet stuff."

"Perhaps Lulu needs the lemon to counter how sweet she is," John said.

Hard laughter burst out across the room.

Jean doubled over clutching at his side, Kou held a hand in front of his face to cover his giggles, and Mai wiped a tear from her cheek. Even Lulu and Naru were chuckling lightly.

"I didn't realize I said something so funny."

Jean sidled up to John's chair and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"You're funny. I like you."

"I like your clothes," Kou added.

"I like your voice, it sounds nice," Lulu chimed in.

John smiled at the children, touched. They really were extraordinary. His eyes traveled up to catch the end of a glance between Mai and Naru, their hands clasped. Not that he had expected anything less than amazing with such parents.

"I like you all very much as well," John told them. "It has been wonderful meeting you."

Jean leaned into John, wrapping his arms around him.

Immediately, Kou and Lulu joined their brother in embracing John and he gave up on the hope of getting his arms free to reciprocate.

"Thank you," John said as they released him.

The clock on the wall chimed the hour; John looked at his watch. He had been here for four hours already? It was going to get dark soon, and as easy as the trip in had been, John was leery of having to navigate his way back to the city in the dark, his night vision having significantly decreased in the last few years. His regular vision was waning as well. Perhaps it was time for him to look into glasses.

"Oh, I should probably get going," John said.

"Oh, already?" Mai asked, her groan echoed by the children.

"I'm afraid so. But, if they are interested I would like to take a picture of the triplets. To help me remember you by? Till the next time I see you."

"Let's see John out kids, you can take a picture out there where there is better light." Mai said shepherding her kids towards the door.

"Mama, can we go to Australia to see John?" Jean asked.

"It's closer to home," Kou added.

"Can we watch him do an exorcism?" Lulu inquired.

"We will talk about _that_ later."

Mai stopped at a spot she found acceptable.

"Kou come stand on this stump. Lulu stand next to your brother. Jean? Put that stick down and come back here." Mai headed over to collect her wayward child.

"Look what I can do Mama," Jean said pinching his fingers together and pulling them apart slowly showing off the the line of sap that strung between the digits.

"Lovely," Mai sighed.

"Jean, you are going to miss the picture," Naru warned.

Jean took off back towards his siblings.

"Ready?" John asked holding up his phone.

"Try smiling Lulu," Mai called out. Which of course only led the girl to refuse to do so.

John stood, examining the image he had captured.

"Ace! Thank you all so much."

The children broke apart, Jean chasing his sister screaming "sticky fingers!". Kou laughed before letting out a yell and running as Jean turned his attention to him.

"It was great seeing you John." Mai said giving him one last big squeeze. "I think I should go diffuse this situation."

"Alright dirty Davises," Mai yelled, "sticky hands demand a wash, into the house with you."

Jean chased Lulu through the front door.

"My hands are not sticky," Kou explained as he took his mother's hand.

"I know dear," she told him as they walked away.

John turned back to Naru.

"It was great seeing you, Naru," John said offering his hand one last time.

"Same," Naru replied, giving it a shake.

"Goodbye." John turned to leave, but he had only taken a few steps when he turned back.

"It suits you," John said across the gap.

Naru turned back tilting his head in question.

"A big family. You always seemed so separated from everyone else when we were younger. It's nice to see you smile, Naru."

Naru smirked, fiddling with his ring.

"It's nice, having reasons to smile."

"Yes, yes it is," John agreed. "Till next time Naru."

"Next time." Naru echoed with a wave.

John turned back towards the gate. He would have to find a nice frame shop when he got back into London. He had an important addition to add to his collection.

* * *

AN: All my thanks to teaaddictedghosthunter for the beautiful cover art for this sweet story.

Also I have to thank her nad CSakuraS for their wonderful insights and editing support on this project. I 100% couldn't have done it without them.

* * *

I was asked to add in the information regarding the triplet's names so here you go. In age order

Kou: Is named in homage to Lin's first name. He doesn't share the name as Kou is his full name, but it is derived from Lin's name of Koujo.

Lulu: Her full name is Luella after her grandmother, but everyone calls her Lulu to help differentiate between the two.

Jean: Is named after Naru's teacher and friend Jean Vianney, who taught Naru all about magic tricks. You meet him in the GH short story "Angel with a Bicycle" Which if you haven't read is lovely and you should google it.

Cheers, Tiffo


End file.
